Best Southern Love Stories of All Time

This Southern love story is a fairy tale fit for country music royalty. These two country singers seemed destined to be together—and not just because they could harmonize so well. Johnny and June met at the Grand Ole Opry in the 50s, fell in love on the road, and got engaged onstage in 1968. Their marriage lasted decades, until June passed away in May 2003 and Johnny followed three months later.

Nicholas Sparks gave us two of our favorite Southern characters in The Notebook. Allie and Noah fall in love as teenagers then, after being separated for years, find lifelong love again in South Carolina. It is a story of lasting love that we’ll never tire of.

This masterpiece by Zora Neale Hurston follows the journey of Janie Crawford through the seasons of her life. Contained and constrained in every relationship, Janie eventually meets Tea Cake, who emboldens her to embrace her life. Their love story ends in tragedy, but it illuminates in Janie the strength she needs to tell her story and live boldly.

This couple values their privacy—which is probably why their marriage has lasted so long. They’re going on 51 years as husband and wife, and it couldn’t be sweeter. These two married in 1966 as 20-something lovebirds. If you want to bask in some nostalgia, check out the duo’s wedding dress and suit preserved at Dollywood.

Faith and Tim are two of the most respected names in country music, and their love story is just as strong. Twenty years after saying “I do,” the two are still going strong, touring, and raising a family through the adventure of life in the spotlight.

Margaret Mitchell wrote two of the most memorable characters in Southern literature, and their love story is one for the ages. Scarlett and Rhett have a rocky relationship riddled with hardships and tragedy, but their love story demands revisiting again and again—either on the page or through the characters brought to life by Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. Swoon.

This love story took Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter all the way to the White House. These two married in 1946 in their hometown of Plains, Georgia. Seven decades later, they have proven their devotion to each other, their family, and their country. 

Selena and Chris fell in love while Selena was becoming the biggest name in Tejano music. The duo, who both hail from Texas, made music together—Selena sang and Chris played lead guitar for countless beloved songs. Their marriage was cut tragically short when Selena passed away in 1995.

This rock ‘n roll wedding celebrated ‘round the world was bedecked in Southern charm. Elvis was from Memphis, after all. Elvis and Priscilla met when they were kids and—after courting for eight years—married in 1967.

We love these characters from Charles Frazier’s Cold Mountain, but we also love them in film version, brought to life by Jude Law and Nicole Kidman. Their love story, set against the backdrop of the Civil War, sees Inman desert the fighting and travel back to meet his love, Ada, who is trying to keep the family farm going amidst the turmoil. The two prove star-crossed, but their love story still transcends many miles, battles, and hardships.

Nicholas Sparks knows how to spin a Southern love story—just pick up his novel A Walk To Remember. Jamie and Landon are two kids in high school who, against all odds, fall in love. Jamie’s illness keeps the two from spending a lifetime together, but the love they share is unforgettable.

This Southern love story is steeped in style. Houston-born Solange Knowles married Alan Ferguson, a music video director who hails from Virginia, in New Orleans in 2014. Every photo of the duo that hits the web is brimming with romance and laughter, and their wedding was as starry and elegant as their courtship.

These two actors are know for their Southern roles (Joanne Woodward was also born in Thomasville, Georgia), and they met while filming a film adaptation of “The Long Hot Summer,” which was filled with influences from William Faulkner and Tennessee Williams. Their marriage lasted for 50 years, and Woodward left us this piece of wisdom about their love story: “Beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh every day, ah, now that's a real treat.”

This love story is set in Florida, and it is the story of one of the strongest friendships we’ve ever seen. These four ladies—Dorothy, Blanche, Rose, and Sophia—are loving life and sharing it with each other. Their dates come and go, but the love that holds this friendship together is strong—and it makes for one of the best sitcoms to ever grace the TV.